Sculptural construction system

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a large variety of pieces having shapes that naturally occur in living things and nature. The objective is to construct art objects sculptures of people, animals, plants and other products of nature rather than representations of man made buildings, amusements or machinery. The assembled art objects have a soft texture due to the predominantly curved parts and almost total absence of straight edges or sharp corners.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a Continuation-in-Part application claiming priority to U.S. Non-Provisional application Ser. No. 11/878,862 filed Jul. 27, 2007.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not Applicable

INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND

The present invention achieves a soft sculptured appearance to the art objects it assembles by forcing the user to use shapes commonly associated with living or natural things where otherwise specific shapes for the part in question would be used. There is a lot of parallel thinking in using this construction set and the practice of energy sustainability where the public is asked to substitute a living, sustainable or natural resource in places where a new, manufactured, energy consuming, carbon emitting material may have previously been used. The user is also forced to use living and natural shapes for many different purposes because there is little else to use. Thus there are quantities of similar but yet subtlety different parts to select from where other construction sets would provide quantities of the same parts that are designed for a particular function.

Prior Art

The patent to Appleman U.S. Pat. No. 4,118,887, discloses the flat slotted pieces and human features of the present invention but lacks the monochromatic colored, wing shaped, branched biomorphic, serial, biomorphic and protozoa shaped parts that are at the gist of the present inventions ability to help create an art object rather than a painted toy clown.

The patent to Liu, U.S. Pat. No. 6,419,542 adds nothing to Appleman except the parts are less geometric achieving a somewhat softer look. However, Liu has specifically made and painted pieces for each body part depriving the user of having to choose between the more generic biomorphic shapes to complete their sports figure.

The patent to Chung U.S. Pat. No. 6,626,732 adds one wing shape and a serial biomorphic part to the teachings of Appleman. However it lacks the richness of a choice of several wing shapes, branched biomorphic and protozoa shaped parts that give the user the ability to achieve the soft sculptures look of the art objects produces with the present invention. None of the above Patents or Published Patent Applications singly or in combination is seen to describe the present invention as claimed.

The patent to Rebholz, U.S. Pat. No. 2,338,738 discloses the slotted flat piece construction and a single wing like shape of the invention but lacks everything else.

The patent to Thom, U.S. Pat. No. 1,182,055 discloses the slotted flat piece construction, the torso of the horse that is a branched biomorphic shape and the horses head and neck that is a serial biomorphic shape. It depends on graphics rather than monochromatic colors and like most of the others have parts dedicated to a single use depriving the user from making a choice between biomorphic alternatives of the present invention.

The patent to Wion, U.S. Pat. No. 4,294,036 has a protozoa shaped parts forming the pelvis of the walker. It utilizes flat pivoted parts instead of the slotted parts of the present invention.

The patent to Moryl, U.S. Pat. No. 3,224,136 discloses how harsh an appearance can accompany only incorporating a protozoa and circular shape to an otherwise geometric collection of shapes.

The patent to Froehlig, U.S. Pat. No. 2,334,486 uses flat parts that are tied together with string. It is interesting in that most of the parts are protozoa like shapes and essentially the same shapes are utilized at various positions in the dog puppet. However it also lacks the diversity of biomorphic parts to achieve the soft sculptured look of the instant invention.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a construction set for assembly of sculptural representations living or natural things. Other objects of the present invention are:

-   -   Parts offering a soft sculpture like texture,     -   Parts depend on their monochrome color and shape only for their         appearance;     -   Branching and serial biomorphic shapes that lend themselves to         building representations of living, organic or natural occurring         objects;     -   Specialty parts that lend themselves to building representations         of humanoids;     -   Geometric parts that lend themselves to connecting, supporting         and holding objects erect;     -   A large quantity of different shaped parts offering a high         degree of art object diversity;     -   Over 95% of total periphery of all parts are curved;     -   Over 50% of parts periphery are asymmetric;     -   Only 30% of parts would be recognized for building man made         objects;     -   70% of parts have shapes that could either be associated with         natural occurring and living things;     -   Parts come from 8 different categories of shapes: wing like,         branching biomorphic shapes, serial biomorphic shapes, protozoa         like, mushroom cap, circular, body part, and celestial;     -   Parts are shown in two dimensions but can be curved, cupped or         otherwise have shape in the third dimension;     -   Parts are shown slotted for assembly but slots can be omitted         for assembly by other techniques such as intermediary connecting         parts, magnets, hook and loop fasteners or any other means of         holding the pieces in orientation with each other

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

FIG. 1: Is a plan view of the wing like part shapes of the present invention;

FIG. 2: Is a plan view of the branching biomorphic part shapes of the present invention;

FIG. 3: Is a plan view of the serial biomorphic part shapes of the present invention;

FIG. 4: Is a plan view of the protozoa like part shapes of the present invention;

FIG. 5: Is a plan view of the mushroom cap like part shapes of the present invention;

FIG. 6. Is a plan view of the geometric part shapes of the present invention;

FIG. 7: Is a plan view of the body part shapes of the present invention;

FIG. 8: Is a plan view of the celestial body part shapes of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows the wing like shaped parts of the present invention. The shapes are generally formed by three curved sides having a large effective radius separated by three curved corners that are not sharp but rather have a substantially smaller effective radius than the effective radius of the sides. The term effective radius is used because the majority of curved surfaces of the parts are not pure arcs of circles but rather compound curves. Parts 1 a. is symmetrical about a vertical axis and part 1 e is symmetrical about a horizontal axis. Parts 1 b-e have concave curves on one side. Part 1 a has an internal slot for insertion of a mating part, this feature can be adapted to any of the part shapes in the entire set of parts. Part 1 b has a hole for decorative purposes. Holes of any size or shape can be incorporated in this manner. The wing like shapes are considered biomorphic because they resemble the wings of birds and insects as well as the fins of some fish and aquatic mammals.

FIG. 2 shows the branching biomorphic part shapes of the present invention. The larger shapes made primarily of convex curves are referred to as lobes. The notches with a concave curve at the bottom are referred to as sinus. The parts 2 a. to 2 f each have three lobes and three sinus. These parts are referred to as biomorphic because their shapes resemble living or natural occurring objects. The parts 2 a to 2 f are referred to as branching because each of the lobes is a logical place for attachment of an adjoining part forming a branch from one adjoining part to two additional adjoining parts.

FIG. 3 shows the serial biomorphic part shapes of the present invention. These shapes are formed by a series of lobes that are connected in serial fashion with no branching. Again, these parts are referred to as biomorphic because their shapes resemble living or natural occurring objects. These parts are ideal for representing the body or limbs of a animal, insect or plant because they are ideal for attachment to adjoining pieces one at each end.

FIG. 4 shows the protozoa like part shapes of the present invention. The protozoa is one of the simplest forms of life making this shape indisputably biomorphic. The protozoa's shape of a distorted oval is repeated many times in nature in both internal and external shapes of body parts as well as the shapes of eggs, fruits and vegetables. Part 4 c is truncated giving the user additional variety in choice of part shapes.

FIG. 5 shows the mushroom cap part shape of the present invention. It was a toss up whether to categorize these shapes as a second family of wing shapes. In either case they are biomorphic in shape and parts 5 a to 5 c are symmetrical about a vertical axis. The mushroom shaped part is characterized by a dome shaped top, rounded rim and concave curves underneath.

FIG. 6 shows the geometric shaped pieces of the present invention. They could have as appropriately described as circular pieces. Round shapes are often found in the eyes, internal passageways organs of animals and insects and in the stems, leaves and flowers of plants in which case they can be considered biomorphic. However, after constructing several art objects with this set one finds these shapes convenient to use to connect other shapes without adding to the shape of the art object or for constructing stands to hold the art object erect when sitting on a flat surface.

FIG. 7 shows the body part shapes for pieces of the present invention. Ia is only the head of a primate, 1 b is only a hand, 1 c is a hand and arm only, 1 d is a foot only, 1 d can represent many biomorphic parts but I prefer calling it tonsils. FIG. 7 f is a ducky which for some children is like an additional appendage for many months. All of these parts also qualify for status as having biomorphic shapes.

FIG. 8 shows the celestial body shapes for pieces of the present invention. The sun 1 b for instance representing the biomorphic head of the sun gods Kachina or Tayau Huichol as well as a star 1 a often associated with angels. The sun 1 b has the added feature with the image of a crescent moon as if in eclipse.

All parts are shown in two dimensions but can be curved, cupped or otherwise have shape in the third dimension; Parts are shown slotted for assembly but slots can be omitted for assembly by other techniques such as intermediary connecting parts, magnets, hook and loop fasteners or any other means of holding the pieces in orientation with each other. It is also implied by the intended use as a construction set that the parts are of the scale of tinker toys and Lincoln logs however pieces the size of small children are contemplated for cooperative use by an entire kindergarten class. 

1. A construction set, comprising: an essentially flat set of parts; at least one slot in at least one part of the flat set of parts for connecting a first part a second part; wherein a flat surface of each of the essentially flat set of parts is in a plane orthogonal to the assembled adjoining part; A first wing shaped part has only three curved sides connected by three short curved corners comprising: A first side having a first length, a first effective radius and a first concave or convex curve; A second side having a second length, a second effective radius and a second concave or convex curve; A third side having a third length, a third effective radius and a third concave or convex curve; Wherein the short curved corners have an effective radius from 5% to 25% of the first effective radius.
 2. The construction set of claim 1, further comprising: A second wing shaped part has only three curved sides connected by three short curved corners wherein; One or more of a first, second or third length, a first second or third effective radius a first second or third concave or convex curve or the effective radius of the short curved corners is different in shape or dimension from that of the first wing shaped part.
 3. The construction set of claim 2, wherein: at least one first branched biomorphic part wherein one or more of a first uniquely irregular shaped lobe a second uniquely irregular shaped lobe and a third uniquely irregular shaped lobe mutually connected by only three sinus.
 4. The construction set of claim 3, wherein: at least one second branched biomorphic part that differs in shape or size from the first branched biomorphic part in the first uniquely irregular shaped lobe, the second uniquely irregular shaped lobe or the third uniquely irregular shaped lobe or the three sinus.
 5. The construction set of claim 4, wherein: at least one third branched biomorphic part that differs in shape or size from the second branched biomorphic part in the first uniquely irregular shaped lobe, the second uniquely irregular shaped lobe or the third uniquely irregular shaped lobe or the three sinus.
 6. The construction set of claim 5, wherein: at least one first serial biomorphic part has a fourth irregularly shaped lobe, a fifth irregularly shaped lobe and a sixth irregularly shaped lobe chained together in a serial manner by sinus.
 7. The construction set of claim 6, wherein: at least one second serial biomorphic part that differs in size or shape from the fourth irregularly shaped lobe, the fifth irregularly shaped lobe, the sixth irregularly shaped lobe or sinus.
 8. The construction set of claim 7, wherein: each of the parts of the flat set of parts is monochrome in color.
 9. The construction set of claim 8, wherein: at least one part is a representation of a celestial body.
 10. The construction set of claim 9, wherein: at least one part is a distorted oval shape for an appearance of a protozoa.
 11. The construction set of claim 10, further comprising: a total of three or more differently shaped wing shaped pieces.
 12. The construction set of claim 11, further comprising: a total of four or more differently shaped branching biomorphic shaped pieces.
 13. The construction set of claim 12, further comprising: a total of four or more differently shaped serial biomorphic shaped piece.
 14. The construction set of claim 13, further comprising: a total of two or more differently shaped protozoan shaped pieces;
 15. The construction set of claim 14, further comprising: a total of nine or more differently shaped geometric shaped pieces.
 16. The construction set of claim 15, further comprising: a total of three or more differently shaped body part shaped pieces.
 17. The construction set of claim 16, further comprising: a total of three or more differently shaped body part shaped pieces.
 18. The construction set of claim 17, further comprising: a total of 40 or more differently shaped pieces. 